Micheal Mac Daibheid Cumann Luthchleas Gael 

THE CONSTITUTION

 6th May 1997 

TITLE 

1.      The Club shall be called the Micheal Mac Daibheid Cumann Luthchleas Gael and in English the Michael Davitt Gaelic Athletic Club, hereinafter called “The Club”.

OBJECT 

2.      The object of the Club shall be the promotion of the aims of Cumann Luthchleas Gael, as outlined in its Charter and General Rules and the membership and resources of the Club shall be utilised for and dedicated solely to those aims. 

COLOURS 

3.      The colours of the Club shall be Green, White and Yellow.

MEMBERSHIP 

4.      All classes of membership of the Club shall be elected by the Executive Committee and such classes shall consist of Full, Honorary, Temporary (Social) and Youth.

 5.     Full membership of the Club, which shall be for a period of not less than one year, shall be open to all persons of eighteen years of age and over who subscribe to and undertake to further the aims and objects of Cumann Luthchleas Gael.  Such Full members shall be registered with the County Registrar of Cumann Luthchleas Gael.  Full members shall have rights of voting in relation to the affairs of the Club. 

6.      Honorary membership shall be open to all persons who have rendered exceptional service to the Club or to the games and/or the activities of Cumann Luthchleas Gael.  They may be elected for life or for any defined period, but unless otherwise stated in the minutes made on the occasion of their election, their membership shall terminate at the end of the current year, but may be renewed by the Executive Committee from year to year.  Honorary members shall have all the privileges of Full members. 

7.      Temporary membership shall be open to all persons actively involved in such additional activities as may be promoted by the Club.  They may be admitted for periods not exceeding twelve months, after being duly elected.  They shall not be entitled to vote or engage in the control or management of the Club.  On expiration their membership may be renewed from year to year at the discretion of the Executive Committee. 

8.     Youth membership shall be open to all persons under eighteen years of age.  They shall not be entitled to vote or engage in the control or management of the Club.
 

APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP 

9.      The person seeking admission as a Full member shall complete and sign a prescribed application form, which must be returned to the Club Secretary.  The application must be proposed and seconded by two paid-up Full or Honorary members. 

10.     The name and address of a person proposed as a Full member of the Club, together with the names of those proposing and seconding him, shall be displayed in a conspicuous place in the Club premises for at least two weeks before election.  An interval of not less than four weeks shall elapse between nomination and election of such members. 

11.     The Executive shall inform the applicant of its decision. 

12.    At the discretion of the Executive Committee the foregoing procedure (Rules 9-11) need not apply in cases other than the election of Full members. 

13.    If persons other than Temporary members are elected as members by procedure which does not comply with Paragraph 10, they shall not be admitted to any of the privileges of membership until the expiration of a period of at least two days from their election. 

14.    Persons will not be admitted, in such numbers, to membership not carrying rights of voting in relation to the affairs of the Club, as will result in the number of members not having such rights, being more than three times the number of members having such rights. 

SUSPENSIONS 

15.       (a)        The Executive Committee shall have the power to expel or suspend from Club activities, any member of the Club whose actions are, in the opinion of the Committee, prejudicial to the interests of the Club. 

(b)        Such persons if registered Full members or Honorary members shall have the right to appeal to a Special General Meeting as provided in these rules. 

(c)        Unless the offence is brought to the notice of the Co. Committee, by the Club, and that body having considered the merits of the case and having regard to the rights of the player or member, imposes a suspension, the player or member continues to be a legal member of the Association and is merely suspended from Club activities. 
 

SUBSCRIPTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP CARDS 

16.    All members shall carry membership cards while on the Club premises. 

17.    An alphabetical list of members and Officials names and addresses, shall be kept on the Club premises at all times. 

18.    Each member shall, upon election and thereafter annually on the 1st. January each year, pay the following subscription. 

(a)        FULL MEMBER                     £5.00

(b)        HONARARY MEMBER         £0.05p

(c)        TEMPORARY MEMBER       £1.00

(d)        YOUTH MEMBER                 £0.05p 

19.        Any member whose annual subscription is not paid by March 31st. in any calendar year shall cease to be a member on that date and shall not be eligible to participate in the games of any section of the Club or to partake of any of the privileges attached to members. 

20.        The Executive Committee shall have the power to grant Temporary membership, under such terms as it shall see fit, to any person whose membership shall have lapsed under Rule 19. 

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 

21.       (a)        The business and affairs of the Club, shall be under the management of an Executive Committee and it shall be the controlling body of the Club.  The Executive Committee shall be elected annually, by the registered Full and Honorary members present, entitled to vote and voting, at the Annual General Meeting and shall be subject in whole, to annual re-election, at said Annual General Meeting. 

(b)       Nominations to serve on the Executive Committee, shall be by two registered Full or Honorary members, having such rights of voting. 

22.    The Executive Committee shall be comprised of, Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer, Assistant-Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant-Secretary and at least five Full or Honorary members, at least two of whom shall (if possible) be under 21 years and over 18 years on the date of the A.G.M. 

23.    The Executive Committee shall have the sole right to appoint sub-committees as required.  It shall define the duties of such sub-committees and shall retain control in all matters and activities which it considers of importance to the general welfare of the Club, including the disposal of any funds in the hands of such sub-committees.
 

24.    The Executive Committee shall have the power to nominate the Chairman of such sub-committees. 

25.    The Club Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary of the Executive Committee shall be ex-officio members of all such sub-committees. 

26.    The Executive Committee may prepare by-laws for the proper control and management of the Club, which shall be submitted for ratification to an Annual or Special General Meeting of the Club.  Alterations, deletions or additions to such by-laws may be made only at the following A.G.M. or at a S.G.M. called for that purpose. 

27.    The Executive Committee shall meet at least once each Quarter.  Four shall constitute a quorum at a meeting of the Executive Committee. 

28.    The Executive Committee shall administer the business affairs of the Club and the property under its control, in accordance with the aims and objects specified in the Constitution and shall have all such administrative powers as may be necessary for properly carrying out the aims and objects of the Club. 

29.    Each member shall have the right to be heard by the Executive Committee upon any complaint or representation sent by him/her in writing to the Secretary. 

30.     A Special meeting of the Executive Committee may be called 

(a)        By the Secretary or

(b)        By the Secretary, within three days of the receipt by him/her of a requisition duly signed by four members of the Executive Committee, such notice shall set out the purpose for which the Special Meeting is required. 

31.    The Chairman shall preside over all meetings of the Executive Committee, in his/her absence, the Vice Chairman shall preside.  If both are absent the Committee may elect a member present to preside at the meeting. 

32.    Any member of the Executive Committee who shall have absented himself/herself from three consecutive meetings without reasonable explanation, shall be deemed to have resigned from the Executive Committee. 

33.    Should any member of the Executive Committee resign or his/her position otherwise lapse, the remaining members of the Executive Committee shall have the power to fill the vacancy, by co-option from the body of the registered Full or honorary membership.  The service of any members of the Executive Committee, chosen to fill a casual vacancy, shall not be reckoned in calculating the seniority of such a member, if subsequently elected to serve on the Executive Committee. 

VOTING 

34.    A Chairman of a General Meeting, an Executive Committee or any sub-committee, shall, in the event of a tie, have a casting vote, in addition to his/her vote as a member. 

35.    All registered Full or Honorary members who are over the age of 18 on the 1st. January proceeding the Annual General Meeting, and whose subscriptions at the prescribed rate are not in arrears, shall be eligible to vote at a General Meeting and voting shall be by a show of hands or by secret ballot at the discretion of the members present. 

GENERAL MEETINGS 

36.    Not less than five days final notice of all General Meetings, Annual or Special, shall be given by the Secretary to all registered Full and Honorary members of the Club. 

37.    The Annual General Meeting of the Club, shall be held on or before the 31st. December, as arranged by the Executive Committee. 

38.    In the case of the A.G.M. all motions and nominations must be in the hands of the Secretary, not less than 14 days before the date of the A.G.M. 

39.   The following business shall be transacted at the A.G.M. 

(a)               Minutes of previous A.G.M.

(b)               Financial statement submitted by the Treasurer.

(c)                Annual Report submitted by the Secretary.

(d)               Election of Officers and Members of the Executive Committee.

(e)               Notice of Motion.

(f)                General Business. 

40.    A Special General Meeting shall be called by the Secretary, within 14 days if directed by the Executive Committee or demanded in writing by not less than 12 Full or Honorary members, who in their requisition shall state the object of such a meeting.  No other business shall be transacted at that Special Meeting.  A minimum fee of £10 shall accompany the requisition of members calling for such a meeting; this fee shall be forfeited to the funds of the Club, if the matter be considered frivolous by those present and voting. 

41.    Twelve Full or Honorary members entitled to vote, shall be considered a quorum at a General or Special Meeting of the Club. 

42.    (a)     The Club shall have power to acquire and hold and to sell, lease, mortgage or charge real or personal property.  Real property shall not be transferred, sold, leased, conveyed, mortgaged, or otherwise charged or dealt with, without the consent of Central Council, as set out in the Declaration of Trust. 

(b)  The Real Property of the Club shall be vested in three or more members of Cumann Luthchleas Gael as Trustees, who shall hold the same in accordance with the Charter, Constitution and Rules thereof and subject to the covenants and conditions contained in the approved Declaration of Trust and who shall sell, lease, mortgage or charge the said property when directed to do so and with consent of Central Council.  The Executive Committee shall select the Club Trustees, who shall then be appointed by the Chairman of the Club and remaining Trustees shall be appointed by the President of the Provincial Council and the Chairman of the County Committee where appropriate. 

(c)     The personal property of the Club shall be vested in the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary, for the time being of the Club, who shall hold the same in trust for the Club.  The said Trustees shall invest the funds of the Club in a accordance with the directions of the Executive Committee of which an entry in the minute book of the Club, shall be conclusive evidence. 

(d)     The Executive Committee shall open a Bank Account on behalf of the Club and all cheques drawn on the said account shall be signed by the Treasurer and by the Chairman or Secretary and the said Executive Committee shall be authorised to borrow such sum or sums of money, as in its sole discretion thinks fit, by overdrawing the Club bank accounts of otherwise. 

(e)     Correct accounts and books shall be kept showing the financial affairs and receipts and disbursements of the Club. 

(f)      The said Trustees of the real property and of the personal property fro the time being, shall be as set out in the Schedules to these Club rules. 

(g)     The Club shall indemnify and save harmless a Trustee, in respect of any losses or out of pocket expenses bona fide incurred by him/her in or about the execution of hi/her trust or powers. 

COMPLIANCE WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THE OFFICIAL GUIDE 

43.    The club Constitution and Rules shall be read in conjunction with the General Rules of Cumann Luthchleas Gael contained in the Official Guide, as amended from time to time. 

44.    Alterations or additions to the Club Rules may be made at any Annual General Meeting or Special General Meeting called for the purpose, providing that the resolution proposing the same shall be carried by a vote of two thirds of the members present and voting and that the same do not conflict with the Rules of Cumann Luthchleas Gael or the Registration of Clubs Act of Northern Ireland 1967 and any amendments thereto. 

45.    Members wishing to propose alterations or additions to these Club rules, must sent notice of the proposed alterations or additions, in writing, to the Secretary not later than fourteen days before the A.G.M. or may do so by calling S.GM. as provided for in these Rules. 

INTERPRETATION OF CLUB RULES 

46.     The Executive Committee shall be the sole authority for the interpretation of these Club Rules (with the exception of Club Rule 15) and of any bylaws and regulations made there under and the decision of the Executive Committee upon any question of interpretation or upon any matter affecting the Club and not provided for by these Club Rules or by the bylaws and regulations made hereunder, shall be final and binding on the members subject to an appeal to a General Meeting. 

VISITORS 

47.    (a)           The same person, except for that person who is a parent, husband, wife or child of a member, shall not be admitted as a visitor to the Club, on more than twenty days in any period of twelve months. 

(b)          A guest shall not be admitted to the Club premises except in the company of a member and the member shall immediately on the admission of his guest, enter his name and address and the name and address of his guest in the book which shall be kept for that purpose and it shall show the date of each visit. 

(c)          The member shall be responsible for his guest strictly observing the Rules and shall not leave the Club premises before his guest and the guest of a member shall not be supplied with intoxicating liquor in the Club premises, unless on the invitation and in the company of a member. 

SUPPLY OF INTOXICATING LIQUOR 

48.    No member of the Committee or Governing body and no Manager or servant employed in the Club, shall have any personal interest in the supply of intoxicating liquor in the Club or in the profits arising from such supply. 

49.    No person shall be paid, at the expense of the Club, any commission, percentage or similar payment, all or with reference to purchasers of intoxicating liquor by the Club. 

50.    No person shall, directly or indirectly, derive any pecuniary benefit from the supply of intoxicating liquor, by or on behalf of the Club or members of guests, apart from any benefits accruing to the Club as a whole. 

51.    A statement, printed in plain type, of the hours in which intoxicating liquor may be supplied on the premises of the Club, shall be exhibited in a conspicuous part of the club. 

52.    Intoxicating liquor shall not be supplied to persons who are not members of the Club for consumption outside the premises of the Club. 

53.    Intoxicating liquor shall not be supplied to members of the Club for consumption outside the premises, except where the liquor is supplied in such quantities and during such hours, being hours within the permitted hours, and on such days as the Sub-Divisional Commander of the Police Division, kin which the premises are situate, may authorise in writing. 

54.    The supply of wines and spirits, beers and intoxicating liquor, to the Club members shall be controlled by the Executive Committee on behalf of the members. 

55.    No intoxicating liquor shall be supplied to anyone under the age of eighteen years. 

FINANCIAL YEAR 

56.    The date of the end of the financial year of the Club shall be the 30th June. 

57.    In addition to these Rules, the clauses and regulations embodied in the Registration of Clubs Act (NI) Order 1987 and any other Order amending and extending the same, shall be deemed to be the Rules of the Club.